Oana Ciofu

Oana Ciofu

Professor

Member of:

    Primary fields of research

    Bacterial evolution during persistence in biofilms with special focus on the development of antibiotic resistance as well as new anti-biofilm treatment strategies  such as  combination of antibiotics with bacteriophages or hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

    Teaching

    • Course leader and teacher in the “Medical Microbiology” course as part of bachelor education of medical students

    • Coordinator of the first interdisciplinary One Health course at the Faculty of Health and medical Sciences “Antimicrobial resistance: a threat for humans and animals health”where medical and veterinary students are working together in mixed groups around specific infectious diseases cases.

    • Supervisor phD students: 6, several master  and bachelor students

    Fields of interest

    I am primarily interested in the cure of persistent, chronic infections due to bacterial biofilms and my goal is to improve the treatment of this type of infections by interfering with the bacterial evolution and by enhancing the activity of antibiotics in biofilms.

    Possible conflicts of interest

    I have no possible conflicts of interest.

    Current research

    • Evolution of antibiotic resistance in biofilms vs planktonic cultures under treatment with sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics

    • The role of oxidative stress in bacterial evolution in biofilms

    • The interaction between bacteriophages and P.aeruginosa biofilms in the presence and absence of antibiotics.

    • The effect of the new combination of ceftazidime-avibactam on P. aeruginosa biofilms.

    • The development of resistance to azithromycin in P. aeruginosa biofilms.

    ID: 3772